Soon... it was a simple word used around the world. Soldiers promised their spouses and loved ones they would be home soon. Parents told their children they could go to the beach soon. Builders ordered materials with the manufacturer promising to send them out soon.
What Geoff wanted soon wasn't going to happen. A downward spiral of the number of people with the COVID virus meant governors opened places previously closed. However, the limits of people in groups went ignored. Weddings went on with two hundred or more guests. The town of Sturgis held their annual bike rally in August where tens of thousands of bikers showed up. The constant shifts of the pandemic had stores closing again to stop the spread. That left Geoff hunting for ways to stay busy.
One afternoon, looking around the house, he wondered how long the original family lived there before someone else moved in. A quick search of land records showed there had been four previous owners, including Bill and Penny. The family before them had lived there over forty years.
In one of his dreams for the future, he envisioned Robin as his wife, with Poppy his daughter along with however many other children they had. Yet that life wasn't a guarantee. Could he live next to them as just neighbors? In his heart, he knew he couldn't see them each day and pretend they didn't mean the world to them.
He swore as he thought about all the ways the pandemic affected how people lived. Months of restrictions forced people to stay home. Stores still had empty shelves as customers hoarded items from their fear of the unknown. His house sat partially done as he waited for materials and the crews needed to install them. Everything took longer. The world seemed to have tilted and couldn't find the way back.
Evening was his favorite time. Robin and Poppy joined him after dinner several times a week. They often sat outside afterward while Poppy explored. Geoff gave her a specific area she could play in and--despite her love for discovering new places--she remained within the boundaries. At times, the pair worked in the garden to pull out the weeds that wanted to take over.
"Open your hand, Poppy. I found something for you," he said one evening.
Doing as he instructed, she waited to see what he had. When he dropped a worm into her palm, she screamed and jumped around. Her actions made him laugh so hard he didn't notice Robin.
"What happened? Are you all right? Did you get hurt?"
She ignored Geoff as she ran to Poppy. Before she reached her side, the girl was laughing as hard as Geoff was. Robin just stood there and tried to figure out what happened.
"That tickled, Mr. Geoff."
"They do. Worms are good for the plants because they fertilize the soil."
"How?" she asked.
"I think that's something good for you to research, honey," Robin said.
"Sort of like homework, mama?"
"Yes."
"Then I can tell Mr. Geoff what I learned."
"I look forward to hearing what you discover," he said. "Now, I think it's time to gather our things and clean up."
"What did the big truck bring today?" Poppy asked while putting her shovel into the pail she brought with her to help.
"Well, let me think. There was paint, stain, a new washer and dryer--"
Poppy tipped her head to the side and stared as if she thought he was teasing her.
"Well, it's a big house, and for a while it didn't even have walls inside, remember?"
"I fit between all the boards," the child said and giggled.
"Not anymore. Now they're rooms. I'll show you next time you come over."
"Poppy, it's late. We need to get home," Robin said.
"And I need a shower after digging into the garden with all those worms," Geoff said.
Their conversations, when alone, veered toward daydreams and hopes for the future. Around the little girl, they kept things lighter. Robin had pictured the man naked many times. The added image of water running down his skin made her shiver. Poppy ran toward the fence while Robin tried to shake the vision of Geoff in the shower from her mind.
Robin followed her daughter and flipped the latch of the gate. Poppy ducked under her arm. When mother and daughter laughed, Geoff knew he would never tire of hearing the sound. Robin wasn't the stressed out parent trying to manage life within the confines of the pandemic the way she had been when they first met. There was a certain pride in believing he had been a part in the change--especially in Poppy. The girl blossomed around him. She obeyed her mother without arguing and accepted the restrictions the virus caused in their lives.
A few days passed before Robin heard from Geoff again. He had left a message on her phone telling her he had something to take care of and would be out of town. While that wouldn't seem strange before the pandemic, it made her wonder what was so important he left town for the first time in months. Of course, as she reminded herself, it wasn't her business. Each night, Poppy stared out the window and sighed when the house remained dark. Maybe he didn't like her anymore, she thought, letting the tears fall. She had been a good girl. She listened to him and followed his directions. Sometimes she even imagined he was her dad. It made her feel sad thinking he might not come back.
Down the hallway, in her own bedroom, Robin's thoughts were similar. All the hours she spent with Geoff made her want more. She had questions about his life the way most people do when they get to know each other. Yet now, the way he left after staying home for so long to keep safe from the COVID virus, it didn't fit what she knew about him. Something had to be wrong. She was sure of it even though she didn't have any idea what it was.
Geoff hadn't been away from home since Bill's funeral. He thought of himself as a loner anyway but the virus made it all different. Now, when he least expected to leave, the call from his attorney made it imperative for him to go. He kept his life private by choice. The world didn't need to know about the assorted businesses he owned.
He had packed a bag and tugged the cover off his Harley right after the call. It brought him back to the days when he spent his spare time cruising along the coast or exploring mountain ranges. The bike was his favorite mode of transportation. He rode through town without noticing all the closed signs. He was already trying to find a solution to the predicament his lawyer described. Sometimes, being the boss was a pain, he thought as he turned onto the highway.
It took Geoff six hours to reach his destination. He parked his bike in a small enclosure reserved for it then worked his helmet off. His hair brushed his shoulders in a way it hadn't in years. Laughing at his faded jeans and old T-shirt, he wondered if his staff would even recognize him. Then he remembered no one would be there. They all worked from their homes now.
Geoff sat in his office with half a dozen files on his desk. It didn't take long to catch up on the details. His lawyer, Max Gerard, answered on the first ring. The man could have handled the issue himself but it was part of his job to alert Geoff when he spotted inconsistencies. They discussed the discrepancies in depth before making a decision.
"Are you coming back, Geoff?"
"I don't know, Max. I honestly can't say. I'll always be involved but I love where I'm living. It's peaceful there, you know? I even have a flower garden that would make your wife jealous."
Max smiled on his end of the phone. His boss worked hard at everything he did and deserved happiness.
"Well don't send us any photos or I'll be spending my weekends in the yard. And you know how much I hate getting my hands dirty."
They laughed together at the running joke. Geoff loved working with his hands almost as much as Max hated it. The men met while in the Army and stayed in contact over the years. When Geoff needed a full-time lawyer for the first company he bought, he called Max.
